# Origin of "On The Wagon" meaning sobriety

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-on-the-wagon-meaning-sobriety/209524>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 25, 2003, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-on-the-wagon-meaning-sobriety/209524 "2003-10-25T18:25:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![madyooper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@madyooper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madyooper)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-on-the-wagon-meaning-sobriety/209524/1 "2003-10-25T18:25:03Z")

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What are the origins of the phrase, “On the Wagon”, meaning alcohol sobriety?

Why do so many use this phrase when describing someone who has temporarily, (or even permanently), abstained from drinking alcohol? And what is the opposite of being “On the Wagon”?

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-on-the-wagon-meaning-sobriety/209524/2 "2003-10-25T18:29:56Z")

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[http://www.quinion.com/words/qa/qa-wag1.htm](http://www.quinion.com/words/qa/qa-wag1.htm)

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**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-on-the-wagon-meaning-sobriety/209524/3 "2003-10-25T19:10:08Z")

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The opposite of “on the wagon” is “fell off the wagon”.

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**Author:** ![TheLadyLion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d78d45/32.png) [@TheLadyLion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLadyLion)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-on-the-wagon-meaning-sobriety/209524/4 "2003-10-25T19:19:04Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by madyooper \*  
> \*\*And what is the opposite of being “On the Wagon”? \*\*

Drunk. 😉

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**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-on-the-wagon-meaning-sobriety/209524/5 "2003-10-25T21:06:41Z")

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Slight hijack  
Andy Sipowitz, from NYPD Blue. an alcoholic, mentioned "getting his nut on’ when he was drinking. Was he referring to getting drunk enough so it was time for bed, or what?

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**Author:** ![YPOD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e99b99/32.png) [@YPOD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YPOD)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-on-the-wagon-meaning-sobriety/209524/6 "2003-10-25T21:37:56Z")

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I remember seeing a photo of an old west temperence parade - the teetotalers were riding a horse drawn wagon with signs and musical instruments. So maybe you got on the wagon when you gave up demon rum. A drunk falling off a wagon sounds like something that would not have been rare at any time.